OCO’s Cancer Services Program Provides Inclusive Care

Dear Editor,

For many in the LGBTQ+ community, accessing health care has not always felt safe, inclusive, or welcoming. These experiences can lead people to delay care or avoid it all together — including lifesaving cancer screenings.

At Oswego County Opportunities, Inc. (OCO) Cancer Services Program (CSP) of the North Country, we are working to change that. We understand that screening needs are personal and depend on your body, age, and health history, not assumptions based on your identity. Whether you’re a trans man who needs a cervical cancer screening or someone who’s avoided the doctor entirely because of past negative experiences, the CSP will meet you where you are.

Cancer does not discriminate, and access to care should not either. Screenings for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer can save lives by finding cancer early, but only if people feel safe enough to get screened. That is why the CSP strives to remove barriers — whether financial, structural, or emotional — so that all people have the opportunity to make their health a priority.

We also understand that the LGBTQ+ community faces risks for cancers that do not have routine screenings. The CSP can be your trusted entry point into a health care system that takes your whole health seriously. This Pride Month, we reaffirm our commitment to inclusive care. We encourage anyone who has been putting off a screening to know you are welcome here, your health matters, and you deserve care that respects who you are. Please reach out to us at 315-592-0830 for additional information or at www.oco.org or find us on Facebook by searching North Country Cancer Services Program.

*Supported with funds from the State of New York